The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released a new proposal to require auto manufacturers to install electronic stability control (ESC) as a standard feature on all new passenger vehicles. The proposed rule would require all manufacturers to begin equipping passenger vehicles under 10,000 pounds with ESC starting with the 2009 model year and to have the feature available as standard equipment on all vehicles by the 2012 model year.

   A 2004 NHTSA study estimated that ESC reduced fatalities in single-vehicle crashes by 30% for passenger cars and by 63% in SUVs. Currently, 29% of passenger vehicles and 57% of SUVs 2006 models have this option as some manufacturers voluntarily implemented the changes when the report was released.